There's something wildly thrilling about holding a zine in your hands; they're often more original than the imaginativeness of people's outfits at a music festival in the desert—think mesh bodysuits, neons, sequins galore, and maybe even a few palm fronds.
Between the glossy or matte cover are worlds of hyper-specific and supremely niche loves, interests, and explorations. The works that lie within are beyond basic. Zines have a distinct and uncanny ability to explore uncharted territory and make the impossible seem possible, one headline, photograph, and layout at a time. Generally, speaking they also sport some incredible design.
Today we've rounded up five independent magazines' Instagram accounts that you need to follow. Each one shares a select and cozy corner of the world, a range of works that are bound to leave you as inspired as Basquiat the first time he flipped through the compositional illustrations and diagrams within Henry Gray’s Gray’s Anatomy.
NOMAS Magazine | @nomasmagazine
Think wanderlust mixed with microdosing, and you'll find yourself on NOMAS' feed. This zine is an impressionist travelogue printed biannually, and the themes within explore time, travel, and how we, as humans, interact with both. The photographs featured are more than initially meet the eye, and I've found myself staring at them, trying to dissect the inner workings for the deeper meanings for longer than I'd like to admit. The latest edition, NOMAS 13, explores the connection between time and contemporary art. Judging by the cover: Maurizio Cattelan, Untitled, curated by Massimiliano Gioni, the two pieces of ragged wood stuffed lopsidedly inside a pair of work boots, the issue is not lacking in the creative department.
This Orient | @thisorient_com
Crisp, white, and simple are words I would use to describe This Orient, a zine based in Berlin that focuses on contemporary Middle Eastern and North African art and culture. The images shared within the feed are architectural and minimal. Often, the Instagram feed focuses on the act of slowing down and enjoying the small peaceful moments. The portraits shared within the feed coincide with the simplicity of the other photographs while simultaneously sharing deeper emotions and characteristics. A job well done.
Victory Journal | @victoryjournal
Sports culture has always fascinated me, but maybe not for the reasons other folks do, what with the intricacies of certain plays, the preciseness of an athlete's form, or just general team adulation.
I cherish the community it forces, the fashion it creates, and the eternal feeling of triumph it provides. Victory Journal has taken those things and fashioned them into a beautifully curated and designed zine that focuses on capturing the small, beautiful moments in the sports world. The selection of works seen within the zine are colorful, show hidden patterns within seemingly inconsequential moments, and showcase the very depths of emotions on the surface of an athlete. Within the Instagram feed are gorgeous photographs, quirky illustrations, and videos that bring stories to life.
FatBoyZine | @fatboyzine
FatBoyZine will leave you drooling before I can even say, "FatBoyZine." This zine is an attempt to document pieces and parts of Asian food and culture gorgeously. Not only are the photographs stunning and ultimately bring the food to life, often, the typography and graphics reign supreme. There's everything from how to cook leftovers to images of the colorful and textured spreads within the magazine's pages. FatBoyZine is a glorious celebration of Asian food and culture indeed.
Take Care Magazine | @takecare_magazine
There are clothes, and then there's fashion.
Take Care Magazine explores style in all its forms, combining influences, cultures, backgrounds and showcasing youth culture. They're different than other fashion-centric outlets in that they focus on the details and the almost crude side of fashion, as their feed often centers on close-ups where you don't know what you’re viewing exactly, with irreverent angles of models never before seen. The images within this Instagram account highlight the textures, colors, and emotions conducive to the fashion world. Hell, it might even inspire you to change your current outfit into a LOT more elevated.
